And I can't remember the last time a movie announcement got such a negative response. Maybe when Tom Cruise was shooting Valkyrie. They were upset about Nazis or something. But thats the only other movie I can think of that got pretty much only bad press...before the movie was released.

It's too bad to do a movie well would require a reboot. Though as long as we had the "original" actors/characters and the writing/directing of Joss, I'd take it. Maybe Joss can get a trilogy deal after Avengers kicks butt. Plus, doing it while Twilight is still in peoples minds is actually a good thing. Might bring more interest. Do it soon before our beloved scoobies are "too old" and they have to recast the whole gang. I know wishful thinking.

@saje: Hudgens is Zac Efron's co-star in Disney's ridiculously (and I mean that in a bad way) successful High School Musical franchise. She's also Efron's real-life girlfriend, who apparently is not camera shy. Pics of her in the buff (hey, pun!) have leaked not once, but at least twice now. You'd think a girl would learn after, oh I dunno... after the Paris Hilton incident.

Yeah, not really her fault (depending on precise details) although these days I guess it's smart to be very careful where you keep copies of any nude photos of yourself you may have hanging around since even without hacking or outright theft, people lose phones/Blackberries all the time.

Of course, there're far more cynical ways to view sexy photos being "leaked" by "accident" but as I say, i've never heard of her (and even if I had I don't know her) so it'd be totally unfair to make any judgements.

@gossi: I think the saying goes "[Leak my photos] once, shame on you. [Leak my photos] twice, shame on me"? Not holding anything against her. Accidental or not, her business, not mine. She sings, she dances, she can't really act beyond what is required for the Disney Channel. For the most part, she really doesn't register on my radar mostly because she really hasn't been in anything substantial since the HSMs.

I know the article seems mostly like bullshit but I wonder if the part of the reboot being cancelled ,well,shelved, is true, cause that'd be the first good news regarding this absolute disgrace of a movie

First of all, this is obviously a bunch of bologna. I don't for a second believe that SMG would sign on for this.

However, if this were some sort of alternate universe where this movie wasn't shaping up to be an abomination, Vanessa Hudgens actually wouldn't be a bad choice for an actress to attach to it. She's been cast in the role of Mimi in the LA production of "Rent" that Neil Patrick Harris is directing, so I'm willing to believe she's got the acting chops to handle something a little more serious than Disney fluff. Plus she's got dance experience, which probably means she'd be able to handle action scenes. And for a Buffy movie to succeed they're going to have to attract the teenagers who were too young to really get into the TV show when it aired, so getting an actress from something like High School Musical would help pull that in.

So not just a little dead then?! This film could only be made worse with Megan Fox in it as was once suggested! I think HSM girl would have been better. Although perhaps she wouldn't have been Buffy, maybe Buffy would only have had a small part in it and she was gonna be the new slayer, paft!! FILTH!! This should never be allowed to happen, just like the thing in Splice!! It's an affront to the various species that go into making it!

I still truly believe there will be a SMG/Joss Buffy movie that takes place after Chosen. It'll happen one day. My money is in 2013, for the 10h anniversary of the series finale.

If they want to do a "reboot" with new Buffy, new Angel, new Willow, etc., I really think they should do a Buffy Broadway musical that takes place when Buffy arrives in Sunnydale (with music by Joss of course). It would be so awesome.

Sorry saje...my bad!! at least i didn't tell you the ending where...wait, i'm still not clear on how to cover spoilers so maybe i just won't tempt fate. But yes an abomination is a good word too, the Buffy 'reboot' would be an abomination!! And one that starred HSM girl or Jennifer's Body may actually usher in the apocalypse, which could actually be the plot they were going for!! MERCIFUL ZEUS!! Maybe the cast would rejoin to stop the impending cinematic-pocalypse? *Crosses fingers*

With you all, I kinda doubt the accuracy of this. But let's not rush to judgment (as, for the most part, we haven't been) regarding the suitability or otherwise of Ms. Hudgens based on her appearance in, among other things, High School Musical. After all, SMG had, what, All My Children, Swan's Crossing, and a number of so-so movie and commercial bits on her resume when she was cast as Buffy? (And Dichen Lachman? Neighbours, for goodness sake). One thing that Joss's shows have taught me, at least, is that it's great writing and direction that gives actors a chance to shine.

(For the record, I watched some of HSM with my daughter once. We quickly agreed that we didn't need to see any more of it. Ever.)

I think the project was 'shelved' two days after it was 'announced', around the time the 'producers' went online and read the utter contempt for their "ingenious, fresh, and completely original idea" (with major franchise potential!).

Wasn't there meant to be a new T.V. show in which Buffy had been frozen in a block of ice or something? Or was that bs just like this article?

I have a hard time believing that SMG would be involved. I have nothing against Vanessa Hudgens. If Joss were to do a Buffy film with the original cast and have her be a new character - I'd be okay with that. It's the idea of the reboot in general - done without Joss and produced by the evil encarnate that are the Kazuis....that's I'm NOT okay with. Glad its probably dead.

While I hope that this project is indeed shelved, a part of me still clings to the hope of one day seeing our beloved Scoobies on the big screen with the Jossman of course at the helm.

I agree with dance4days though if this were a possibility.

Now, I thought SMG has expressed 'interest' in a Buffy Movie if Joss is involved. Did I Imagine this? It seems from some of the comments or the context that SMG would like to distance herself from the Buffy character?

@toast: nobody is good in a soap opera. They just "aren't as terrible as all the rest of the actors". The material they have to work with is just too awful for them to be good.
I have not seen HSM so I can't really judge her performance in it either.....just saying it might be the material not the person.

The article does sound like a boatload of BS to me. It doesn't really make sense for anyone to offer roles to actors for a shelved movie. I'm just hoping at least the "shelved" part is true. It may well be, since we haven't heard anything about it for the last year (keeps her fingers crossed).

The only things not phoned in about HSM are the lip-syncing and dancing. The plot borrows heavily from teen movies from the 80s and 90s. Throw in an extra block of Velveeta, get some Disney-fied teen banter (see Hannah Montana and other such offenders), Glee-style lip-syncing and dance routines that call back the heyday of Britney's early career (post-finger paintings), and a generous coating of wholesome American white middle-class, and you more or less have the finished product.

Seen it! Yes went about my busy day and actually watched 2 HSM films! Please, please, please Joss, I know you can accomplish many a great feat, but turning VH into a screen worthy actress may perhaps be even beyond your infinite powers! She'd be good for the stage, but beyond that I'd offer a gargantuous HELL NO!!! Of course this is just my humble opinion, but it's good thing she rejected this shelved project!!

People seem to be forgetting another important fact that further proves this "news" is just spin (read: BS). This was never supposed to be a Buffy reboot. Producer Roy Lee wanted it to be its own story utilizing the Vampire Slayer mythology, about a teenager chosen to fight evil. The name Buffy wasn't part of this particular equation, but the media consistently ran with it as if it was, because Buffy is a name people recognize. It's possible that might have changed by now, but I've not seen anything concrete on that.

Having said that, the part about the project being "shelved" is just plain obvious, due to nothing having developed over the past six months or so. I could have told you it wasn't happening at present, but that doesn't make me an "Insider". It just means I'm aware of my surroundings.

Furthermore, the Kuzuis are not the harbingers of doom just because they had a more comedic/action mindset for the original film. Between 1992 and 1997, Buffy was just silly, harmless camp, made by filmmakers no one had ever heard of. Some would even venture to suggest (me, for instance) the movie was and still is flawed but charming fun. It wasn't until the TV series that anyone really noticed the value in the material. So why now are the Kuzuis suddenly evil. If Joss (who was very wet behind the ears back then) had been given full reign at the time, that does not necessarily mean the movie would have been worlds better, let alone great. Also keep in mind that Roy Lee in partnership with the Kuzuis, wants to make things more dark and serious. They've already done the wacky camp version. I get the impression that Fran is not interested in repeating things in that fashion.

I would also submit that Joss had to evolve and grow into the storyteller he is now. He was not born great. You take a look at his work on Roseanne, his script for Speed (which Graham Yost is always quick to give most of the credit to Joss), as well as the properties he created himself. Even within that alone (Buffy, Angel, Firefly, etc.), there is apparent growth there.

All I'm saying is, were this movie actually happening, why be so jaded and cynical about it? I mean, no, there's no good reason to do naked cartwheels over it either, but if you'll recall, much of us probably scoffed (or even sneered) at the idea of the writer of the original movie turning his idea into a TV series. Where would we be now if we'd given up halfway into "Welcome To The Hellmouth"? We would have missed out on "Prophecy Girl", "Innocence", "Hush" and "The Body" to name a few. :)

I've actually become more openminded about the whole thing lately due to the recent developments in Season 8. I mean, could it possibly be cheesier than spacefking? I think not. And if it is I can just ignore it. At least my expectations wouldn't be high.

@kungfubear: On the contrary, there are very good reasons to be "cynical" about any attempt by the Kuzuis to take up and expand the Slayer universe without Joss's involvement. It was the Kuzuis' lack of understanding of the original project -- and, by extension, their inability to convey coherent direction to the actors -- that turned the movie into little more than an exercise in buffoonery. A reading of the screenplay will demonstrate that much. The TV show succeeded in large part because the Kuzuis were completely uninvolved -- except for contractually obligated credit and payment -- and Joss was able to give us his take on the material, without the Kuzui filter and the "contributions" of certain other egos.

But let's assume for a moment that the TV show was successful primarily because Joss had become a better writer through practical experience. In the past eighteen years, have the Kuzuis created a corresponding body of work that might lead us to believe that they have learned and grown? If so, I'd like to see it.

We Buffy fans want it too much, therefore the Powers That Be take great pleasure in denying it to us.

Err, no, no we don't (see: 99% of the comments in this thread). Though I suppose it's possible we're all engaging in some really clever reverse psychologising ;).

Now, I thought SMG has expressed 'interest' in a Buffy Movie if Joss is involved. Did I Imagine this? It seems from some of the comments or the context that SMG would like to distance herself from the Buffy character?

She's never tried to distance herself from the character SuperLaz but at the same time, she's always carefully danced around the issue of returning to the role (i.e. she hasn't said she never would but she's also implied that it'd take a lot of ducks lining up to get her to do it). Here's an interview from 2004 where she says:

"I have a lot of hesitation about it, since it WAS a movie, and I spent the first year of the show constantly explaining to people, 'no no, it's not like the movie' because there was such a bias to the movie, because it didn't work as a film. And that's my initial hesitation and the other is that clearly you're going to disappoint people... Part of the reason I believe the show worked was because the story's an arc and you felt for this character's experience, and it wasn't a beginning, middle and end and I don't believe she worked like that. I say that now, and if in a year they could send me the script, I could think it's great and we could be at the junket a year and a half from now, but I will say that I have a lot of hesitations about it and it is not something I particularly want to do at this time."

And there was another interview from a couple of years ago where she says more or less the same thing (link's broken but here's the comments thread for it).

So she's never said she's dead against it but she's also never exactly been giddy about the idea. Which strikes me as entirely reasonable BTW.

My problem isn't that it was flawed fun, but that flawed fun wasn't all that Buffy the Movie could have been, based on the script. It could, and should have been, much more.

I deeply distrust the Kuzuis because they took a good script and couldn't turn it into a decent movie.

And it has nothing to do with experience or growth. Alien script was nothing spectacular, yet second-time director Ridley Scott took it and managed to create something unforgettable, whether you personally like it or not.

why be so jaded and cynical about it?

I can't speak for everyone, but I am cynical about it because I have seen the first movie.

I am cynical because after years of fans wanting a Buffy movie, they announced one smack-bang in the middle of the Twilight craze.

I am cynical because they didn't make any attempts to involve Buffy's creator in the project, not until they realised that they needed him to lend some credibility to it.

Sounds like it could have been plausible -- having a movie with Sarah's Buffy as sort of a mentor to a younger Slayer. And the casting choice is about what you'd expect. Hell, she'd probably be someone that a studio would look at for Mel anyway if it was "Fray" movie. Even her reasoning for staying away sounds believable.

Other than it not sounding particularly pleasing as a way for the "Buffy" brand to return to the screen, I'm not sure what about this story is supposed to be giving off a whiff of objective implausibility.

Here's the problem: a TV or movie reboot is the only way Buffy continues as a living, breathing property. Comics, I'm afraid, simply don't count for the majority--and by majority I mean about 95%--of the entertainment audience out there. Like Star Trek before it, Buffy will always be fondly remembered but it will need a "next generation", so to speak, to continue as an evolving, vital, and yes, money-making enterprise. This reboot was probably not gonna be great but none of us have seen a script. Whether or not Buffy can exist without Joss (I think the Slayer/vampire mythos can but Buffy and Willow specifically can't) isn't the question. The question is, will Buffy exist at all beyond DVD's and fond memories. At this point I think it's the longest of long shots that elements of the original cast ever reunite; everyone's getting older, everyone's busy with their own careers, and everyone costs a lot more money than they used to. And the studio interest isn't there to reunite the original cast because the money is apparently prohibitive. Buffy therefore needs to either be rebooted, or become a next generation style series of Slayer mythos projects, in order to continue. If not, well, we've got our DVD's.

And y'know, maybe it shouldn't continue. Buffy was a great story. All stories end.

They won't command those salaries forever; I'm sure that, for example, Hugh O'Brien got paid a lot less, in constant dollars, for the TV-movies he did in the 70s than he had for _Wyatt Earp_ 15 years before. And the Buffyverse has older people in it. And Dee, Doo, and Lenny all appeared on ST:TNG.

DaddyCat, I think by the time SMG, Alyson, and David Boreanaz have hit the stages of their careers that will encourage producers to lowball them (remember, Buffy couldn't even get direct to DVD off the ground so the budget is not high) they'll all be a lot older than they are now. Alyson and David are both starring in very successful network television shows. Sarah is taking time off apparently but she's bankable enough to pick and choose from various offers. Also, I'm not sure Buffy works without the youth element. Trek could have Kirk and Spock and McCoy age in the movies but I'm not sure Buffy works as the adventures of a group of forty year olds still hunting vampires the way they did when they were teenagers.

Who are Dee, Doo and Lenny? Oh, wait...I think I get it. You mean DeForrest Kelly, Doohan and Nimoy. Well, yeah, but they were only guest stars. I can see Alyson guesting on a revamped Slayer TV series that starred a bunch of new twenty-something faces. Though I bet Alyson can't see Alyson doing that. That's the other factor we're not really considering: do the actors really want to do this, polite noncommittal comments in interviews aside? Buffy's the kind of project that typecasts actors and Alyson and David seem very happy in their new roles.

I think Eliza pretty much put a stake through the franchise when she decided to pass on a Faith spin-off. If that show had been sucessful Buffy might have put out branches Star Trek style. But like I said before, I'm happy (season seven bitching aside) with the story we got.

I believe you said in the above link that Buffy was definitely being made into a movie and it would be out summer 2010, written and directed by Joss and starring all our favorite actors. I haven't seen the trailer yet, but I'm excited.